Vehicle traffic signal



July 5 1927- w. a. Huss/m VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL med Aug. 1o. 192s zsums-sneer 1 1,534 361 July 5 192; w. B. HussAR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGNALFiled Aug. 10. 1923 2 Sheets-Shout A2 wf/liar.'-

Patented July k5,A 1927. il

ummm STATES PATENT 0F FICE.

y WILLIAM B. `HUSSAR, F ST. LOIS, MISSOURI.

` l vnnrcnn TRAFFIC vsiertuin.k

Appncation nied'Augst 10,1923. serial No. e5s,e83.- 'i' rThis inventionrelatesto trallic signals for vehicles, and more y adapted to be appliedto the frontleft'fender to indicate go left turn, right turn and stop,and, it is a distinct and practical.

provide. 'a spherical rotor` upon which the signal data vis applied;fifth, to provide meanstodisplay the stop'signal whether either the govor turning movements 'are being displayed, and, sixth, to provide meansfor illuminating the signal at night.

With the above and other` objects in the invention consists in the novelfeatures oity arrangement and combination of parts' and theirequivalents, lhereinafter more fully ydescribed and finally pointed outin.v 'the' claimshereto appended, f l

Referring to the drawings forming'a part of this specification, whereinlike characters of reference 'denote similar parts throughout theseveral views: K' *i 'n e Fig. .1, is a top plan view ot a signal deviceembodyil'lg the `features of my linvention, the kcase thereof and theksignal rotor being showny in 'sectional elevation.v Fig. 2, is a topplanview of the' device appliedy tothe front left mudy guard of avehicle. o

Fig. 3, is a side elevation 'of the interior mechanism withthe casingand signal rotor in sectional elevation. y

Fig. l, is a side elevation of the interior rmechanisun of the signaldevice, with the casing and rotor in sectional [elevation "andk theelectrical lconnection diagraminatically shown.

Fig. 5, isa fronti elevation oit the vdevice` applied to a fender.

Fig. G, yis a detail showing partofthe means for actuating the signalrotor. y

In carryingr out the aim offmy'invention, l employ a' suitable metalliccasing'whichis substantially spherical and ywhich consists particularlyto a signaly the rearsec'tion 1 and the front section 2 .ich are.suitably united, as at 3. f The rear section, erhalt-'ot the casing,isjprovided u th the opening -fwhichis closed by means of a suitable:transparent cover plate 5 and the f i n n int section, erhaltet thecasing is'provided with the sight opening 6 .which n t closed bymeansfoi suitable transparent closureplate 7., y y

Suitably d to and.extending inwardly trom'opposite sidesk of the `casingsection 1, are a .pair of opposed and aligned tubularv arms lS and 9..Arm Slisy longer than yarm t) and is providedyat its inner end with asuitablesocket for holding an elect-ric vlamp indicates' ysuitablehollow spherical moedrotor provided with ,the sleeves 13 l Lifterrotatably'. mounting the signal i or 'upon the Vtubular supporting arms8 y l rcsjjicctively,s clearly shown'in Fie. A suitable coiled Aspring15 is interposed between the supporting arm 9 and the rotor sleeve 151und has one end thereof iixed to the arinfland opposite end thereoffixed to the. sleeve '1l-ttor returning the rotor t0 any predeterminal`signal position after disi'ilayinga stop" signal.' j

yA suitable solenoid 1,6 'is suit-ably fixed to and suifnported by meansof suitable bracket members 17,. which bracket members 17 are suitablfixed to the tubular supporting arm 9'." Tncsolenoidtis.verticallydisposed and provided'with an armature 18 directed into the solenoidfrom the top thereof. A suitable cro arm '19 lined to ythe upper end otlthe armature 18 and extends toa point beyond 'theiright side of thesolenoid. The outer endet the arm 19 is directed down- Wardlyfto provideaA plunger member 2() for imparting a p ialrotation to the signal rotorwl'ienevei.' it is moved downwardly into contar: wi th the/teeth 21 otthe ratchet wheel 2.2 wli l 'chet wheel is lined to the inner e e signalrotorsleeve 13 disposed to thek righthand side of the solenoid. A su1t-'able guide pin fined at its upper end to the cross-arm 19 and. directeddownwardly th ireifrom with its lower endy passing through an opening ina guide plate 211 which late 'ably fixed tothe upper end o the A coiledspringl encircles the and is Idisposed between the and guide platecQ-lAfor exerting-upward pressure against the`ar1n19 to nor-y lnally holdthe arm and armature 18 in their uppermost position. An arm 26 havingits outer end beveled, as at 27, is fixed to the upper end et thearmature 1S and it is directed in an opposite direction to the crossarin19.

2S represents a suitable armature which is pivotally connected. as at29, to suitable ear-s fixed to the solenoid 16. The armature 28 isvertically disposed to the left side of the solenoid 16 and has itsupper end bent inwardly to provide the lock-lip or catch 30. A suitablefiat spring 31, exerting outward pressure against the lower end of thearmature 2S below the pivot point 29, normally holds the upper end ofthe armature in its innermost position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.Disposed opposite the lower end of the armature 28 is a horizontallydisposed electromagnet 32 which is suitably fixed to the lower end ofthe solenoid 16, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the reference characters 33, 34 and 35represent an upper, a middle and a lower spring contact membersseparated by means of the insulated sci iarators 36 and fixed to theupper end of a suitable bracket 8T which bracket is suitably fixed tothe tubular supporting arm 8, as shown in Fig. 6. The middle springcontact member 34 is longer than the contact members 33 and 35 and theinner end thereof is disposed in the downward path of travel of thecross-arm 19 to be engaged thereby and depressed when the armature isdrawn downwardly into the solenoid for breaking contact thereof with theupper contact member 33 and making contact with the lower Contact member35.

The mechanical means for rotating the signal rotor to indicate themovements of the vehicle, such as go,"left turn7 and right turn consistsof a suitable peripherallv grooved pulley 38 fixed to the rotor 12intermediate the casing and the signal rotor, as shown in Fig. 1, theshifting lever which is fixed to the grooved pulley 40, which pulley ispivotally connected as at 41 in a suitable case 42. The case 42 issuitably fixed to the steering post of a vehicle, or at some otherconvenient point within reach of the operator. A -suit-able flexiblecable 43 is connected at one end to the lever actuated pulley 40, asshown in Fig. 1, and the opposite end thereof is connected to the pulley38, as shown in Fig. 4, for rotating the signal rotor in eitherdirection by means of the shifting lever 89. The inner end of the cableadjacent the pulley 38 passes through a tube 44 suitably fixed to thecasing member 1 and is encircled by means of a coiled spring 45, one endof which engages the outer end of the tube 44 and the inner end engagesa c'ollar stop 46 fixed to the cable for taking up the slack in thecable engaging the pulley 3S when the cable .is moved toward the pulley38,thus assisting the coiled spring 15 in movement of the rotor in thatdirection. There are three positions indicated upon the casing 42 torepresent stopping places of the shifting lever 39, namely, goj leftturn and right turn and represented by the reference characters 4T, 4Sand 49, re spectively.

The spherical signal rotor l2, which is in the form of a hollow innershell, preferably made of two like sections suitably united, has itswall divided into twelve sections in the form of elongatedcircumferential sight openings represented by means ot referencecharacters 50, 51, 52, 53, 54. 55, 56, 5i, 58, 59, GO and 6l which arebacked by means of transparent closures 62 bearing the signal data GoStop, arrows representing left turn and arrows representing` right turn.The signal data is displayed and is visible in pairs through the sightopening 6, as clearly shown by the signal data Go--Go in Fig. 4. Likesignal data that is displayed through the front sight opening 6 is alsodisplayed through the rear sight opening 4, excepting it a sin gledisplay of the signal data instead ot in pairs` as the rear sightopening 4 is only half the length ot the front sight opening 6, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. Besides the signal data being arranged in pairs, thereis also two sets of paired signals represented upon the signal rotor orglobe, as will be readily understood by the reference to Fig. 4, whereinSi stands -for stop; Go stands for go; LT stands for left turn and RTstands for right turn. Then the signal Go is visible through the frontsight opening 6, the same signal is visible through the rear sightopening 4.

It will be observed that by arranging the sight openings 4 and 6, asshown, that vehicle traffic as well as pedestrians and trafiic policecan see the 'front signal data from either -side of the device, as wellas from the front due to the spherical shape of the signal rotor, aswill be apparent trom the arrows in Fig. 2. Also that the duplicate rearsignal data is visible both from the rear and 'from the outer side, asrepresented by arrows in Fig. 2. In fact the signal displayed is visibleeither at night or in the day time within a radius of approximately twohundred and seventy degrees. rlhe device is preferably mounted upon theleft hand 'front mud guard represented by the reference character 63 inFigs. 2 and 5, but is also applicable to being applied to the side ofthe windshield, the radiator cap, or any other suitable elevated placetoward the front ot the vehicle.

The electrical connections and mechanism for controlling the device as astop signal, will now be described.

The reference character 64 represents a :Uli

suitablev battery andi the foot brake pedal a vehicle which is connectedtothe movable contact member 66 of a suitable twoway switch 67 by meansof suitable connec- 'Ihe switchl is terminals 69, 70and 7l. -Tlieterminals 69 and 71 are normally the movable Contact member 66. f c

Y A conductor 72 leads from one sideof kthe battery to theswitch,terminalr 69. kA conductor 7 3 leads from switch terminal 70 ktoc solenoid 16 and a conductor 74 leads from the solenoid to the upperspring contactA member 33 which has one end normallyiin contact with themiddle spring contact mem-y ber 34 and 7 5 indicates aconductor'leadingfrom the middle contact member to the other sideof the battery. Thisarrangement completes an electrical circuit through'the soleneid.whenever' the foot pedal 65 is depressed causing the contact'member 66to breakwith terminal f71-and contact with terminal 70 thusenergizingthey solenoid and pulling the armature 18 downv into same which clausesthe plunger 2() tozengage one of the teeth of the ratchet and rotatethe` signal rotor one c twelfth of a revolution in am upwardly ,di-Y

rection, which would bring the stop sign intofview behind the sightopenings in lieu of the go7 signs, taking Fig. klias an example asillustrated, as the kgo signs "are normally in view. The circuit isopened; immediately upon; the cross arm 19'striking the middle contactmember y34 iny its. downward travel which causes the middlecontactmember to contact with the lower 'oontactinein` ber 35. The solenoid isheld in its lowermost` position. to prevent return rotation yof thesignal@ rotor 12, by means of Athe catch armature 28 engaging over thearmature arm 26 and hold-ing the armature 1'8 from` upward movementlthrough the medium of the kcoiled spring 25, asis evident from 3. f

Thel moment that the footpedal 65 is rec leased and the ycontact member66 engages 7l,` a new circuit isy closed the terminalt through theconductcrs 72 from the battery, contactcmember 66, a conductor 7 6leading tov the electromagnet 32, a conductor 77 the lower springcontact member 35,. the middle contact member 34 and the conducto-r 7 5to battery.v The moment that this circuit yis closed by releasing thefoot'pedal,v the electroinagnet yis instantly energized attractingfthelower end of the armature 28 thereby releasing the upper catchendlthereof from the armature arm 26 thereby causing the armature 18 toraise through the spring 25 andbrealr the contact between the middleContact arm4 34 and lower Contact arm 35 for yopeningthe circuit andcausing the middle contact arm 34 to again contact with theuppercontacty arm 33. The raising ofthe armature 18, and its plunger 20permits 'the y signal rotor to revolve back, to its normalprovidedywithv three connected by means oiE i complete a el and 6 andthe foot pedal 65should be` iessed,-tlie saine actions would take place:

the signal signs, I kemploy a conductor v72?- Y leading from one side ofthe battery to oneV contactwof thesoclret and provide the same with aswitch 79 and I also provide a second conductor SO leading Jfrom theother Contact n to the other side of the battery which will closedcircuit to the lamp` 1l wlien' the switch is closed.

It is apparent from the foregoing descriptionthatl employ a completevehicle traiio or direction Asignal which will display the turning andgo signals which are manually controlled through a shifting leverandthat combined Vwith these signals are stop signal signs which arecontrolled electrically through the actuation of the Lfoot brake pedal.f

The ,many advantages ot the herein described invention will readilysuggest themselves to rthose skilled in the art tok which it appertains.

I do not wis-h tobe understood as having limited myself' to the detailsof construction shown and described, but desire tok have it understoodthat the invention I have shown in the drawings is merely illustrative,as it is manifest that various minor changes may be made .in the exactconstruction and particularv arrangen'ient of parts without departingfrom the'spirit of my invention, hence I reserve the ri 0fht to make anysuch changes, or modifications as may fairly fall wit-hin the scope oii'the appended claims when fairly construed.

What I claim is: f y

l. In a traicl signal structure forapplication to the front oit avehicle, a casinghaving a sight opening extending across the entirefront of the casing andfliiaving a sight opening extending across onehalf of the rear of the casing, a hollow globular rotor provided with aplurality of oircuinferentially disposed go, left turn, right turn7 andStopl signal indicia .mounted for rotation within said casing andnormally positioned to simultaiieouslydisplay the go7 signal indiciathrough the iront and rear sight openllO and rear sight openings ol' thecasing, resilient means co-acting with the manually actuated means forrotating the rotor in the opposite direction Ylor siniultaneouslivbringingl right turning' signal indicia opposite'the liront and rearsight openings oit the casing, elcctricallv actuated means 'torrevolving the rotor to a. position to display the stop signal data tromeither go, lett turn, or right turn signal positions and means torholding the rotor in said cstop7 signal position and electricall)vactuated means 'tor releasing the rotor troni said stop s .al positionto permit o'i its rotation haci the signal position Ytroni which it wasinitiated.

2. In a tratlic signal structure, a stationary casingA having iront andrear sight openiiigst a. rotor shell mounted 'tor rotation Within thecasing and provided n'itl. a plurality ot circuniterentialhY disposedgo, lett turn, rightturn and stop siA nal indicia. so aro, ranged as todisplzqv signal indicia through the trent and rear sight openings ot thecasing simultaneouslY and normallj)7 positioned so as to displav the posignal indicia, said stop signal indicia being alternately arranged, ashitting lever lined at a convenient point adjacent the driver ot avehicle, llexihle means counectiiil the rotor shell n'ith said leverYtor reifolving the rotor shell to a position to display one oit theturn signals when the lever is moved in one direotion7 a coiled springconnected at one end to the rotor shell and at its opposite end to thecasing t'or revolving the rotor shell to a position to display the otherturn sign when the lever is moved in the opposite direct-ion, a 'tootactuated pedal and an electrically actuated mechanism controlled throughthe medium ot' said toot pedal when depressed for revolving the rotorshell to a position to displayY the stop7 signal indicia and whenreleased to return the rotor to the position trom which it wasinitiated.

3. ln a vehicle tratlic signal structure, a separable hollow sphericalcasing haring front and rear si ght openings, a rotor mounted Withinsaid casing, a plurality ot circiunierentially disposed go, clett turn,right turn, and stop signal indicizn said rotor heine' positioned tonormally displayv the ;0" signal indicia and said stop7 signal indiciabeing alternately arrain th means tor manuallyv actuating` said ro r todisplayY siinultaneousl)7 either lett turn or right turn signals throughthe 'front and rear sight openings of the casini;` electrical meansactuated hy the depresion ot a vchicle brake pedal t'or revolving;T therotor to display the stop signal indicia through the iront and rearsight openings, holding' ineens Ytor retaining' the rotor against returnmorement while displaying the Lstopll sijnals and electrical means forreleasing the holding means to permit the rotor to automatically returnfrom its stop position to the position l'rom which it was initiated.

ln a'vehicle tratlic signal structuret a separable hollow spherical'using haring :trontand rear sight openings, rotor hearing aiLiiluralitiv ot' go, lett turn7 right turnl and stop signal indiciamounted 'tor rotation Within said casing so als to display like indiciato the 'liront and rear simultaneousl): said rotor heine' positioned tonormallj?,T display go al indicia ainl haring' the stop signal indiciaarrang-A alternately, ineens con v'ii-,ting ot a tlenilil i cable, apulleyr tired to the rotor to which one end olf the lole cable isconnected and a shitting lezer to which the opposite cnd ot thetierilile cahle is connected lior revolvingl said rotor to a position todisplay lett turn and right turn signal ind' a, electrical meansactuated by the depre in ot a vchielc bralre pedal tor rotating therotor to display stop7 signal indicia tl'n'ough the iront and rear sightopenings simultaneously, ineans tor holding the rotor against returnmovement While the hrale pedal is depresied and electrical ineans :toractuating; the holding` means lor relez'isin` the signal rotor to permitreturn movement ot the rotor to the position trom which it was initiatedalter pressure on the ln'alte pedal has heen released.

5. ln a trallie signal structure for application to the front oit avehicle, a easing.,v haring a sight opening extendingl across the entireiront ot the casing and having a sight opening' extending;T across onehalt ot the rear oit the easing, a hollow globular rotor provided with aplurality ot cireuniterentialljf disposed go, lett turn, ifit turn, andstop signal indicia n'iounted lor rotation Within said casing andnormally positioned to simultaneously displaiY the go signal indiciathrough the front and rear Erht openings ot the casing, said stop signalindicia being alternately7 arranged, manually actuated means 'lorrevolving the rotor in one direction lor simultaneously bringing lettturn signal indicia opposite the t'ront and rear sight openings ot theeasing', resilient means co-acting with the u'ianualljy' actuated meanstor rotating' the rotor in the opposite direction Afor simultaneouslylil-inging' right turningl signal indicia opposite the 'iront and rearsight openings ot the casing', a foot pedal, electrically actuatedmechanism controlled by depressing' said pedal tor revolving` the rotorto simultaueousl)7 hrinp; stop signal indicia opposite the 'lront andrear sight openings ot the casing; and hold the rotor in such Stopposition Whether the rotor displayed go, lett turn or right turn priorto rotation to display the stop7 signal indicia. and means torelectrically releasing the rotor from stop signal posii in one directionfor ing a sight opening extending tion to permit return movement thereofto the position from which it was initiated.

6. In a traffic signal structure for application tothe frontk of avehicle, a casing havacross the entire front of the casing and having asight opening extending across one half of the rear ot the casing, ahollow globular rotork provided with a plurality of circumferentiallydisposed go, left turn, right turnf,` and stop signal indicia mountedfor `rotation within said casing and normally pon sitioned tosimultaneously display the go signal indicia through the 'front and*rear sight openings of the casing, saidv stop signal indicia beingalternately arranged, ,manually actuated means for revolving the rotorsimultaneously bringing left turn signal vindicia opposite `the frontand rear sight openings of the casing, resilient meansy co-actingiw'iththe Amanually actuated means for rotating the rotor in the oppositedirection for simultaneously bringing right turning signal indicia oposite the front and rear sight openings of t e casing,

a battery, a foot pedal, a two Way switch connected i ith said footpedal, a solenoid including an armature, said armature, resilient meansfor' normally holding the armature in its-outer position, a ratchetwheel carried by and within the rotor havingfits teeth disposed in theinward path of travel of said plunger, a closed electrical Circuitincluding the Winding of the solenoid kestablished through one contactof the switch by depressing the brake pedal for moving the armature intothe solenoid f and causing the plunger to rotatethe rotor to a newsignal position to display stop a plunger carried by signal indiciasimultaneously through the n front and rear sight openings of thecasing,

av holding'l device for holding the rotor in said stop signal position,an 'electromagnet for releasing the holding device and a circuittherefor including the other Contact of the two way switch, means foropening said first electric circuit and closing one break in said secondcircuit during inward movement ol the armature andthe second circuitbeing completed through the switch by the release of said foot pedal foractuating the holding device for releasing the rotor and permittingautomatic return rotation of the rotor to its normal go signal position.

7. In a vehicle traliic signal, a hollow globe shaped casing having afront sight opening and a rear sight opening, a hollow globe shapedrotor having a plurality of goy signal indicia, a plurality of left turnsignal indicia, a plurality of right turn signal indicia and a pluralityof stop signal indicia so that the signal indicia will be displayed tothe front and to the rear of the case sin'iultaneously, said latterindicia being alternately arranged and said rotor adapted to normallyassume go position, manually actuated means for revolving the rotor fromgo position to either left turn or right turn signal position, manuallycontrolled electrically actuated means for revolving the rotor to stopsignal position from either go, left turn, or right turn signal positionand means for returning the rotor from stop signal position to thesignal position from which it was initiated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto rsigned my name to thespecification.

